You Can't Blame Me for Hating It
by M.L. Widmann
Summary: Sequel to 'We'll Never Break as One Too Strong! Now that she's graduated Hogwarts, Sara decides to move in with Fred, George and Katie. But what happens when Fred's priorities get mixed up? Sequel: 'It's Not Over Before It's Too Late!
1. 93 Diagon Alley

**Disclaimer:** All characters, settings and subplots in this story have been created by JKR. The main plot and the Hughes' are my creations.

**Author's Note:** I'd just like to thank my readers who have stuck with me this far. You give me the motivation to keep writing.

I'd also like to apologize for my last story, "We'll Never Break as One Too Strong", being so close with the film version of "Order of the Phoenix". It was kind of a bridge between the introduction and the real story to establish a feel for the societal norms and build characters. From this part of the series on, my character should be a lot less of a Mary Sue, and the plot won't revolve around the same plot of the books, but more of a romantic-based plot.

Thanks again, and hope you like the latest instalment!

**Part II:**

**You Can't Blame Me for Hating It**

"_**I don't blame you for being you, but you can't blame me for hating it." –Fall Out Boy**_

Chapter One: 93 Diagon Alley

My toe must have hit a curb, because I felt myself stumble. "Oof!"

"Watch it, Sara." Fred laughed, helping me over the obstruction.

Being blindfolded made me nervous; I was already oblivious as to where we were. The twins had Apparated me from The Burrow with the blue scarf tied around my head already. "Are we almost there?" The darkness that was my world was getting uncomfortable.

I heard a door creak open and assumed it was probably held by George, because Fred still had his arm around my waist, leading me through the passage George had just made. "Okay," George said from behind me. "You can open your eyes now."

The blackness I was exclusively aware of quickly became a rainbow feeing my eyes bright colours as Fred withdrew the scarf from my face. The shock of the sight didn't stunt my ability to realize that I was standing in the entrance of 93 Diagon Alley, surrounded by the very products of whose prototypes I'd witnessed in the early experimental stages. Upon shelves of every shape and size were stacked Skiving Snackboxes, Extendable Ears and I even noticed a selection of WonderWitch Love Potions.

"Welcome to Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes!" the twins chorused.

Fred took a step in front of me and bent down so his face was parallel to mine. "What do you think?"

"It's brilliant!" I blurted. "It's yours? Where'd you get the money?"

"Harry gave us the money that he won from the Triwizard Tournament!" Fred divulged, forgetting for a moment that the mention of the Tournament would dig up a lost ghost in me. He allowed himself to calm for a moment before he beamed at George. Then they both turned and grinned at me.

"We've got one more surprise." George admitted, failing to hold back his happiness.

I furrowed my brow. "Wha...?"

"Move in with us!" Fred exclaimed. He cupped his hands around mine; every one of his teeth was showing.

"What?"

Fred repeated himself, only this time less excitably. "Move in with us. Katie's coming, too. There's a flat upstairs."

My head was spinning. There were so many questions; I wasn't sure where to start. "Can I take a look?"

The twins led me up a spiral staircase passed the second floor of the shop, to another door with a lock. George pulled a small key out of his robes, shoved it in the lock and turned the handle.

"A key?" I asked sceptically. "Wouldn't a spell just open the door to anyone in the shop?"

"Not this one – extra protection." George smiled and pushed the door open.

The place wasn't large, but it was comfortable enough for four people. Upon walking into the flat, I'd swelled with such pride for my boys. "Want to give me the grand tour?" I chuckled. "Unless this room is it?"

"No," Fred giggled. "This is our kitchen, living, dining space. There's a bathroom through there," he pointed to a door on our left that was hidden in an alcove between two other doors. "And the other two are bedrooms." His eyes caught mine once more and he smiled sheepishly. "So... do you want to stay?"

"I'd love to!"

Using the Floo Network to go back home shaved so much time off the clock had we decided to fly. "Mum? Dad?" I shouted throughout the house as I made my way to the kitchen. Sure enough, my entire family was in there, having dinner.

"Sara!" Dad said excitedly through a mouthful of potatoes. "Sara, how was your day with the Weasleys?"

I found my stomach doing back flips. "It was amazing! They showed me their shop and..." I took a mental deep breath. But I'd had my eighteenth birthday in April and they couldn't say no – I just didn't want to break their hearts. "They asked me to move into Diagon Alley with them – Fred, George and Katie... Katie Bell, George's girlfriend; remember?"

"Oh, wonderful!" Mum said happily. "What did you tell them?"

"Well, I'd really like to."

"What about Hogwarts in September?" Lizzy asked, looking up at me.

I smirked at her. "Liz, I'm done."

"Oh yeah." The soon-to-be third year dropped her eyes back to her plate.

"Anyway, Fred's here; we were going to pack my things and Apparate back..."

That's when the sound of forks clinking back to their plates filled the kitchen. "You're going now?" Dad asked.

"That was the plan. I mean, if you're okay with..."

"Sara, you're a grown witch now. You can make your own decisions." Dad stood from his seat at the dining table and brought his hand down on my shoulder. "If you ever want to come back, you know you're always welcome."

"Thanks, Dad."

Lizzy sprung from her seat and hugged me. "Merlin Liz, you're taller than I am now!"

I noticed she was crying. "You'd better not forget about us!"

"And you'd better write to me from school."

"Every day."

I couldn't help but chuckle at my sister's exaggeration and hugged her tighter to me. I'd definitely miss her, but I couldn't wait to get into Diagon Alley with my best friends.

"Fred!" George hollered. From where he was on the second floor of their stop, we could hear him from our bedroom.

Instead of making the conversation easier by leaving the flat, Fred shouted back. "What?"

"Katie and I will take care of the customers; can you and Sara start getting our place set up?"

"Sure thing, George!" I yelled back.

"Thanks, Sara!"

Once the screaming subsided, Fred beamed at me. "Want to start painting? George and I picked up the paint the other day. We got red and gold for the bedrooms."

"Gryffindor. Classy."

"No, I know red's your favourite colour."

"I'm not much of an artist."

"Neither am I." Fred smirked and with a wave of his wand, the brushes were painting a deep burgundy on the walls around us.

I laughed. "You're no fun!"

"_I'm_ no fun?" Fred scoffed. "I must not be a suitable person to have founded a joke shop then, eh?" He flicked his wand, and the paintbrush made a detour – instead of reaching the wall, it swept across my right cheek.

"Fred!"

"And you say I'm no fun."

I laughed as I picked up a brush, dipped it in the paint and chased Fred around the room. We both flopped onto the bed, making sure to leave our paintbrushes in the can, before bursting into a giggle fit. Fred tickled me a little, and then rest his head on his elbow. "I'm so glad you decided to move in with us."

"Me too."

He leaned closer to me and his soft lips landed delicately on mine. "Love you, Sara."

Though the 'I love you's had become almost routine, this one sounded as genuine as the first time he'd uttered the words. "Love you too, Fred."


	2. Oddly Precise

Chapter Two: Oddly Precise

"Fred, George, this place looks bloody brilliant!" Ron exclaimed as he entered 93 Diagon Alley for the first time since his brothers owned it.

"Fred, I think Ickle Ronniekins is proud of his older brothers!"

"George, I think you're right!"

The twins approached Ron with taunting glares and he backed away from them. "No! Get away from me! You've gone loopy!" Just as his red, unsettled head knocked against a shelf of Fizzing Whizbies, Fred and George each put a hand on his head, tousled his hair and started making mocking, kissy sounds.

"Boys, stop it!" I laughed, causing Lizzy and Ginny to cup their hands over their lips and giggle.

"Thanks Sara," Ron huffed when his brothers finally gave up tormenting him. "Sometimes I think you're too good for my brother."

Fred's draw dropped and he made a teasing gasp. "Oy! That hurts, mate."

"Oh, shut up."

We'd invited everyone over before school started, seeing as how we wouldn't be seeing them again until Christmas. Katie particularly asked Angelina and Alicia to come visit, and Fred and George owled their friend, Lee Jordan. While I would especially miss Lizzy, I found my relationship with Neville would be sorely absent for four month. Also, Ginny and Ron, being siblings, were invited to the goodbye party without question; where Ron went, so did Harry and Hermione. Luna came too; she had become very close with Ginny and my sister.

Ginny raised her goblet of the pink lemonade we'd all been drinking and spoke up, forcing her tiny voice to carry around the shop. "Everyone, I'd like to make a toast to my brothers. They've worked their arses off and finally accomplished their dreams!" Having the group condensed into the packed little shop only made the cheers sound louder.

"To Fred and George!" I shouted, clinking my glass with Ginny's.

"To Fred and George!" the rest of the group chorused before raising their goblets and taking a sip.

George's head fell to his shoulder and he exhaled dramatically. "What is it, George?" Harry asked once his lemonade had been successfully swallowed.

"I was just wondering, why is it always 'Fred and George'?"

"What?" I knew where this was going, but I just had to get him to say it himself. Only a Weasley twin would make a big deal about this.

"Well, I mean, everyone says 'Fred and George'... Why is it never 'George and Fred'?"

Harry burst into a fit of giggles and patted his friend on the back. "Only you."

"What?"

His defensive tone made me laugh. "Oh, George."

"Hey Sara," Angelina approached me and put her hand on my shoulder. I'd always felt kind of awkward around her; I never could tell if her friendliness was a sham or not.

"Oh, hi Angelina. What's going on?"

"Did the boys close the store down for the day? I haven't seen a single customer in here all afternoon."

"Oh, err, yeah they did – just for today."

"Well, that's thoughtful of them to invite us over for a visit before the rest of them go back to Hogwarts."

I didn't even bother telling her the party was mine and Katie's idea. "Yeah. There are some people I'm really going to miss... it's nice to be able to say goodbye, you know?"

"Yeah..." Another silence. "Well, I'm going to see what Katie and Alicia are up to."

"I should be getting back to..." She was already darting through the shelves to find her other friends.

"What was that about?" I crossed my arms and leaned back into Fred, who had just shown up on the scene.

"You haven't talked much in the past year and a half, have you?"

"...That was oddly precise." I lowered my chin and looked at him with wide eyes. "Do you know something I might not?"

"She asked me to the Yule Ball and I turned her down. Said I was waiting for the right girl."

"So she doesn't like me now? That's mature."

"She must just be jealous or something, Sara. If I were you, I'd just pretend I didn't know a thing. Don't let it get to you, alright?"

Gaining this knowledge was going to be a hard moment to ignore. "You're right; it's no problem."

"Oy, Sara!" Ron shouted from about a foot in front of us. "Your sister was looking for you. Kept following me around asking if I knew where you were. So, I'm finding you so she'll bugger off."

"Ron, be nice." Fred shook his head and chuckled. "The girl is obviously in love with you; how would you feel?"

The youngest Weasley boy walked off muttering under his breath – something about 'bloody moral fibre'.

"Hey Liz, I heard you were looking for me. What's up?"

She pulled me aside into an alcove and scanned the area to make sure we wouldn't be disturbed. "I just wanted some alone time with my sister before I had to go back home."

"Oh!" I exclaimed. "How're Mum and Dad doing?"

"They're alright... Miss you though. Mum keeps accidently setting four places at the table."

I chuckled. "I'm sure she's just being a space case as usual."

"I think she might be in denial of your leaving."

"Liz, are you offended that I moved out? Do you think it was... selfish or something?"

My little sister burst out laughing and shook her head. "You're eighteen, you're legally allowed to do whatever you want, and I'm happy for you. Mum's just having a hard time – keeps asking me if I'll leave her, too."

"Poor witch."

"She'll be okay. Just keep writing to her."

I nodded and hoped to change the subject. "So how are things going with Ron? Have you told him how you feel?"

"Are you barking?" I laughed at her use of the word that Ron had grown so fond of recently. "I can't tell him! He's three whole years older than me!"

"Whatever you say, sis."

"Why, do you think I should?"

"I think you need to confront him, or get over it."

Lizzy nodded her head once sharply, squinted like a cougar on the prowl, and pounced back into the crowd – probably on the hunt for her Weasley crush.

Fred waved at me from across the store. A wide smile graced his features. It was the same crooked smile I'd fallen in love with and the same one that made me fall for him again and again. I couldn't believe how happy I was to be part of this new family. But there would be one reason I would miss Hogwarts this year.

Neville was weaving through the mob and eventually reached my side.

"Hiya Sara; great party!" he said, graciously clapping his hand over my shoulder. I don't know when he hit a growth spurt; two years before, Neville was my height – I only now reached his chin.

"Glad to hear you're having fun, mate!" I allowed myself to sink into his side hug. "How's summer treating you so far?"

"I'm focusing on Herbology this year."

"That's great!" I'd specialized in Potions, myself, but I knew how much Professor Sprout's class had meant to my best friend. "Congratulations!"

"Thanks." He blushed a little before he continued. "I just wanted to have a little chat before I left for school y'know?"

"I know. You'd better write to me."

Neville laughed a bit. "You know I will."

"I'm going to miss you."

"Me too; who do you think I'm going to have lunch with every day?"

Our goodbye hug felt as though it lasted forever. He didn't hold back as his arms engulfed me and I buried my face in his chest. As everyone else left, I gave them similar embraces and then approached Fred. He put his arm around my waist and pulled me closer.

"It's going to be weird not seeing them every day."

"I know. But hey, you're living with us now! We're bound to have our own adventures!"

There was no way I could disagree with that.


	3. Dreams are Becoming Reality

Chapter Three: Dreams are Becoming Reality

I thought that first night would be an indication as to how the rest of the year would play out. How wrong I was. Partying and spending time with my friends was a one-time deal in this arrangement; though I'm not too sure what I'd expected in the first place. Along with taking the extra place in the Weasley twins' flat, it was assumed I'd help them run the shop. As a customer, Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes was an amazingly fun place to even look at; though on the other side of the glass, as an employee, it was a _lot_ of work.

Fred and George had chosen a terribly bright magenta coloured robes for our uniforms for... distinctiveness, I supposed. Katie and I looked decent in them, being female. Every time the twins walked into a robe wearing their pride and joy, literally, on their sleeve, we couldn't help but laugh.

"Hey Fred, what do you want to do for dinner tonight?" I asked, bouncing up to the front counter and placing my palms flat on the desk. "We haven't done anything in a while, and I was thinking maybe we can go someplace..."

"Sorry, Sara." The fact that he wouldn't even let me finish my proposal kind of stung. "I've got to work late tonight, love." He kissed my cheek and continued pulling products from under the desk; and it wasn't even a real kiss on the cheek – he pressed his scratchy cheek to mine and made a kissy sound.

"Did you not shave this morning?" I forced a laugh and rubbed my face.

Fred didn't look up at me while he worked. "No, I had to rush to get ready."

"You barely have time for anything anymore." I didn't think my tone came out as argumentative, but apparently Fred could have disagreed.

"I'm co-owner of a business, Sara; I don't have time for anything because I have to devote all of my time to this shop. It's everything I ever wanted!"

"I know that, I'm not saying..."

"Speaking of which, shouldn't you be working?"

"I just wanted to..."

"I don't have time for the lovey-dovey rubbish today." Not only did he sound stressed, but he called romance 'rubbish'. It wouldn't have hurt as much had he not scoffed after making that comment. "Tie your robes up properly and go stack those shelves!"

I turned my back on Fred and made my way over to the WonderWitch products. I understood he was under a lot of pressure recently – but so was George, and he wasn't being distant from Katie. Actually, I'd seen more of George in the past weeks than I had Fred.

I was growing homesick – and not of my house. I missed Hogwarts. I missed my friends and I missed having them there to make me laugh. Mostly I missed Neville and Lizzy – the two people I confided in and could trust with my life. Without Fred or George there to talk to, I didn't know what to do. I even had nightmares that Fred left me – almost every night. The prospect was horrifying.

That night, I got to our room, in which I was not surprised to find an empty bed. Fred must have been working late again. Falling back onto our bed with a deep exhale, I spun onto my side and hugged his pillow – it smelled of Fred's subtle cologne. It was the most contact I'd been getting even remotely related to a Weasley since I'd moved in a month and a half ago.

I grasped my forehead between two fingers and stood from my comfortable position on the queen-sized mattress. I did my job with as much passion as I could, but nothing could fill the void in my heart but the friendship and love it craved. A day with my parents would have been much more fulfilling than living with people who practically ignored me.

By the time November had rolled around, I had a good collection of friends' letters to get me through the days. Just reading the handwritten print on the rolls of parchment before me made my heart swell a little.

_Hiya Sis!_

I could practically hear her voice as I read along her letter she'd sent a few weeks back.

_How are things at your new place? Pretty amazing, I'd presume. You and Fred were made for each other; it must be fun living with him. Ron still ignores me, nothing new there. _

I laughed at the similarities. Maybe all Weasleys couldn't appreciate something right in front of them.

_It's alright though, I've started spending a lot of time with Dennis Creevy. He's in a lot of my classes... I think he might ask me for a butterbeer sometime. I'll let you know._

_We miss you here, you know – you and the twins. It's not the same at Hogwarts without their antics, or your company. Who else can I rant all my problems to? No one!_

_Mum keeps sending me Howlers convincing me to come home for the holidays. I think we all are. We should get everyone together!_

_See you at Christmas!_

_Love Liz_

It's amazing how my little sister made me feel so important just in the way she spoke to me. The style with which she chose to write carried away any feelings of solitude; regardless of how long a time it lasted, the sadness subsided.

I sat on my bed alone, reading the letters for the umpteenth time by wandlight.

_To Sara and the Weasleys,_

Luna's letter had been enjoyed and appreciated by both Fred and George, but it eventually found a home in the drawer of my night table with the rest of them.

_How is business at the shop doing? _

_Things around here aren't any different. Well, the curse of the Defense Against the Dark Arts teaching position has struck again – it's Snape this year._

My stomach churned every time I read it. Of course my favourite professor would have taken over the class I struggled with after I'd graduated. It was the pattern of my luck recently.

_Miss you terribly. Be seeing you at Christmas!_

_-Luna_

I assumed Lizzy had told Ginny and Luna they'd be visiting us for the holidays as Ginny's letter also made mention of their December plans.

_To my two stupid brothers and their maddeningly sweet girlfriends,_

_I'm just joking – you're not _that_ stupid._

_I was informed we'd be paying you four a visit at the Hughes' place this Christmas. That should be exciting!_

_Oh and Sara, there's more to the letter... if you just get my gits-for-brothers out of the room, there's a second piece of parchment for your eyes only._

Reading her letter for the first time made me laugh. Fred and George had been less than amused as I fought them out of our bedroom to read the second part of her note.

_Thanks for that, I wouldn't appreciate them reading what you're about to – because I know you've successfully gotten rid of those prats._

_You remember how I told you at the party that Dean and me are a couple – Dean Thomas? Well, it's not going so well. We've been arguing... quite often, actually. I think I still fancy Harry. I used to think it was just a crush when I was just a little girl, but now I'm not so sure... _

I sent her my confident advice suggesting she tell Harry how she feels, but she hadn't responded telling me how it had gone. That could either mean she got mad at me for giving such daft advice, or she was having too much fun to remember to write back. Regardless of how it played out, it still hurt.

Apparently, Ginny was not the only one having boy troubles.

_There's a new boy – Cormac McLaggen. He fancies me quite a lot... it's getting a bit annoying, actually. He follows me everywhere. I know he's only in it for one thing, which makes it even worse. He's typically beautiful, really, but it's not worth risking... well, you know._

_He's with Lavender now, you know – Ron is. I can't even deal with that right now; I've got exams to study for! What is he trying to do to me, Sara? I hate that blonde haired bimbo. I hate her with every fibre of my being! Do you think it's too late?_

I never did understand why Hermione wrote to me for love guidance. She didn't have many female friends, I suppose. But had she seen just how badly I was failing with my relationship with Fred, she probably wouldn't have written me.

The only correspondent that actually kept up with me was Neville. Maybe it was because he didn't talk to many people at school, but I enjoyed our conversation so I didn't press the matter.

_Sara,_

_I miss you. We all do, but I don't think anyone does as much as me. Lunches aren't as fun; I sit with Ron and Hermione who, to be completely honest, have been acting downright mad around each other. Harry's good company as well, but again..._

_Our new Potions Master, Professor Slughorn, is kind of dippy. He's quite good, but at the same time, I suspect he's not all there. Considering our history with new professors, I'm very suspicious of him. Knowing Dumbledore, he brought him here for a reason._

_As for the question you asked me, you can't give up. You and Fred are perfect together; you need to try to spend any time you can with him. Remember he's wanted this for as long as I've known him and he's probably just excited his dreams are becoming reality. That doesn't give him the right to ignore you, but he may not realize it. _

_Stay strong and be the sweet girl you are, I'm sure he won't be able to keep away from you._

_Love Neville_

He was right – no matter what, I could not give up on what I had with Fred. I'd never felt this way about anyone before and just because life was coming at us head on, that was no reason to run in the opposite direction. Even still, it was hard to act upon that idea when he was treating me more like an employee than a girlfriend.

After I'd tucked all the rolls of parchment back in my bedside table, I tucked myself under the comforter and allowed myself to relax just enough to fall asleep. My head hitting the pillow preceded dreams of Fred leaving me for his shop. Something rumbling the bed woke me up. When I looked at the clock to see that it was almost two in the morning, I sighed.

"Fred, it's late, why were you..."

"Katie."

"What?" I turned over to see my blonde-headed friend laying in Fred's spot. "Oh, hi Katie. Do you know where he is?"

She shook her head as much as she could with the pillow obstruction. "I think he and George went out to get something."

"This late?"

"I dunno."

"Katie?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you feel like George is ignoring you for the shop?"

"Not particularly, why?"

I exhaled and closed my eyes. "No reason."


	4. An Honest Wizard

Chapter Four: An Honest Wizard

Things didn't get better. Nor did they get worse, but my focus was on the fact that Fred hadn't had more than a one-word conversation with me since... Merlin, I couldn't even remember the last time we'd really spoken.

Christmas approached at a Flobberworm's pace and I was eagerly anticipating the company of my friends and family. Neville and Lizzy had kept writing to me up until the week before their holidays started; he was telling me about the new professor's 'Slug Club' for outstanding students, and how crushed he had been when he didn't make it in. I'd been given the chance to comfort him in no time.

The day of reconnecting with witch and wizardkind alike was upon me and I could not have been more ecstatic. Just the packing to go back home for a few days sent shivers down my spine; I never figured that I'd be packing up at my new flat to go back _home_. It made me feel so... grown up. It was kind of depressing, actually.

Apparating to the porch of my house wasn't the thing that got me nauseous – it was the idea that I had to knock on my own front door to be let inside. I made a fist and pounded twice. Halfway through the third knock, the door swung on its hinges and my mother jumped at me.

"Sara!"

"Mum!" I laughed and hugged onto her tightly. She smelt of home, and the dinner she'd obviously been working on for our company that would be arriving later that night.

George told me that Fred had told him I should go home early to spend time with my family before my friends got there. I appreciated the thought, but he didn't even tell me himself. I was growing frustrated with him.

"So how's it been at the new place, sweetheart?" Dad sat me down in the living room and pulled a chair up. Apparently the parallel couch wasn't close enough for his liking, though it seemed to be suitable for Mum.

I forced a big smile on my face. My parents would not be finding out that I hated living there – not tonight, anyway. "It's brilliant!" The lie hurt as much as the truth would have. "It's a lot of work mind you..."

"Oh, of course!"

"But we're having so much fun together!"

"Fred's treating you right?" Mum inquired, sounding more like a journalist than a curious parent.

I got into my character once more and chuckled before taking a sip of my coffee. "Yes, yes he's still an honest wizard."

"Have you..." I knew what she was trying to say, but I didn't expect it to come out the way it did. "Have you... been _intimate_ yet?"

"Mom!"

"What? You live together – I want to know!"

"I'm out of here." Without many more movements, Dad stood from his chair and left the room muttering. "I wish she would warn me when it's time for girl talk..."

"Well, the answer is no. We haven't."

"Is something wrong, dear?"

I was so relieved I could talk to my mum like a friend, but at the same time, I hated how she could read me so well. "No, just... busy is all."

"Okay, well if you ever want to talk about anything, it's been made clear you should come to me and not your father."

A real chuckle escaped my lips – the first one in weeks – and I smiled at her. "Thanks, yeah?"

"Anytime, dear."

"They're coming, oh Merlin, they're going to be here soon!" You'd think I would be the one panicking in excitement to see my friends again, but that was actually my dad. He got very anxious during occasions and ended up running around like a chicken with its head cut off.

There was a knock on the door and two familiar faces entered; Tonks and Lupin strode into our house and beamed at the sight of us. "Matthew, Jennifer! How have you been?" Lupin had clasped Dad in a double-handed shake while Tonks was hugging my mom. Mr and Mrs Weasley shortly followed. Apparently they'd become the couples my parents went out with to have fun.

Not long after, my sister arrived with Ron, Hermione and Harry. I'd have thought Ron would bring Lavender to the party, but her absence seemed to make both Lizzy and Hermione quite happy.

"Lizzy!" I embraced her, not wanting to let go. She hugged back with the same devotion.

"Sara!"

"Is it just me or have you grown a lot since the summer?"

"Stop it now." Lizzy obviously didn't appreciate my teasing in front of the youngest Weasley boy, for she had started to glare daggers at me.

I chuckled. "Okay, okay. What about you three? What have you been doing this year?"

"It's been pretty uneventful if you can believe it." Harry admitted with a shrug.

"I don't." I replied in all seriousness, causing Ron and Hermione to burst into a fit of laughter. "I am glad to see you all again, though. It's been kind of lonely at the shop to be honest."

"Really? I'd think you and the twins would rock and roll all night and party every day!" Hermione danced in a jerking fashion and chuckled at the muggle reference no one else understood.

"It's a lot more work than you'd think." What they didn't know was it was not only physically draining, but emotionally, too.

There was one more arrival I was eagerly anticipating, and when his not-so-round face appeared at my threshold, I had to fight back tears of joy. "Neville Longbottom, get your arse over here!"

He beamed at the sight of me and scooped me into his arms, lifting me from the floor. "Sara!"

"It's so great to finally see you!" I found myself laughing I was so happy.

"Great to see you, too!" He said when he finally put me down. "Hey, how's the whole Fred thing going?"

"I haven't seen him yet. Katie told me they were picking some people up, so they'd be late."

"How late?"

"Oi, Sara!" He was addressing me. I heard his voice and spun in my place. One of his arms was draped over Angelina's shoulder in a side hug-type manner. "Katie and I went to get Angie and Alicia; hope you don't mind."

My heart wrenched. "I don't care." Neville could tell I'd just gotten depressed, so his arm went out to me in another hug – this one less joyful than the first. "Hey Neville," I'd said once I realized Fred had gone off with his group of friends and could no longer see me. I wasn't in the mood to remember that night. "Let's get a butterbeer."


	5. Don't Forget That

Chapter Five: Don't Forget That

Once I'd been teased with a night's worth of feeling loved by my friends, I was back at Diagon Alley. The words I used to tell them goodbye would never justify what my heart was feeling.

Nothing changed. It somehow managed to get worse. The conversations between Fred and I may not have lasted long at their best, but at least they'd existed. The hours between our moments of contact had grown to days until eventually I had forgotten the last time I'd seen his face.

"Hey Sara, need help with that?" George asked. He didn't wait for a response. Picking up another box from the backroom, he carried it while walking alongside me back into his shop.

"Thanks."

"What have you been up to recently? I feel like you've been invisible."

"So do I, George." I dropped the box in my hands with a loud 'oof' and had begun stacking the WonderWitch Love Potions on the brightly coloured shelf before me. "Speaking of which, where's Fred been? I only ever see him at work, but he's too busy with everything to..."

"He's off today."

My shock nearly sent a handful of their products crashing to the floor. "He's what?"

"He's got the day off. I think he said he was going to be with Angelina."

"You're joking."

George sensed the tone of my voice and sighed. "I don't know why he wouldn't want to spend more time with you, Sara. Knowing Fred, he's probably just sick of being around here all the time and wanted to get out."

"Probably, yeah?"

"Yeah."

The days inched onward and months passed more slowly than I could have ever thought possible. It was hard to believe it was already May. That meant the others were almost out of school, and summer would certainly be more fun than these last months have been. Just thinking of the opportunity to see my sister and Neville gave me the urge to reread some more letters I'd been receiving.

_Sara!_

_So I thought Dennis liked me, right? _

I loved how Lizzy made me laugh right off the bat. She wrote like she talked.

_Apparently he likes Natalie McDonald – you know, that girl I was friends with in first year but we kind of drifted apart? Her. They went to Hogsmeade that time I thought he would ask me. Oh well, at least there's still Ron. He and Lavender broke up! _

_See you during summer and write back soon,_

_Love Liz_

My only other regular correspondent had always written things to me that cheered me right up. I found myself reading his letters at least once a week.

_Dear Sara,_

_How's the Fred thing going? Is he still ignoring you and seeing Angelina? From what I remember at your party, he didn't appear to want to leave you or he wouldn't have been so comfortable telling you about seeing his friends. Had he wanted things with you to be over, he would not have said anything at all. He probably isn't aware he's doing it. Have you told him yet?_

How did he know I hadn't said anything to Fred about this yet? Neville truly was a remarkable friend.

_Just remember he loves you. _

_I can't wait to see you this summer. Maybe you can come visit me and Gran at my place!_

He'd drawn a little smiley face winking next to his signature. At that moment, Fred came into the room. The only time we shared our bedroom anymore was when one of us was asleep.

"Hiya Sara, what are you up to?"

I just stared blankly at him, not sure how to react. It wasn't like riding a broomstick – once you'd been severely lacking human contact in your life, a witch somehow forgot the norms of conversation. "Reading, uh, reading these letters..."

"Neville?" he asked, leaning over my shoulder and reading the name at the bottom of the parchment. "He was always a respectful little bloke."

"He's a very close friend."

"Really?" Fred moved closer and sat next to me on the bed. "I hadn't noticed."

"I don't suppose you would have."

He furrowed his brow. This new expression made him look not only calmly miserable, but angry as well. "What do you mean by that?"

I sighed exasperatedly. "Fred, you've barely spoken with me since I moved in almost a year ago!"

"That's not true!" Fred leapt to his feet and ran both hands through his hair. His volume lowered once he thought about the very reality of my comment. "It's not true..."

"Yes, it is. You know it is. Anyone can tell you." I felt tears begin to surface, but I fought through them. "I miss you so much."

Noticing that my eyes had begun to water, Fred sat back down next to me and wrapped my head in his arms. "I didn't mean anything by it, Sara. The shop finally starting up... my dream... it was all coming true; the excitement was driving me mad."

"And you and Angelina..."

Though I couldn't see anything, I could tell by the pitch of his voice that his eyes had just gotten wider. "Merlin, I didn't... I know I told you she fancied me, but we're just friends now, honest!"

I sat back up so I was looking him straight in the eye, but with a wavering confidence I could not strengthen. "I know, but why do you spend more time with her than with me?"

"Well, I figured I see you around the shop; I never get to see her anymore. It would be fun to catch up... I didn't realize... Merlin, Sara, I'm so sorry. Oh, I've got it!"

I pulled away from him with uncertainty. "You've got what?"

"I'll get George to take over the shop for a few days, and I'm going to plan something special for you."

Special? My heart jumped. I missed him doing romantic things like that. "Like what?" I asked, feeling my voice get higher. I didn't want to let him off the hook that easily. He broke my heart for months. A nice gesture couldn't turn that on its head.

"A whole week to ourselves full of romantic surprises. What d'ya say?"

Unable to restrain myself anymore, I beamed. "I've missed you."

Fred embraced me and refused to let go until my lungs caved, apparently. "Don't ever get the idea I've forgotten you, Sara. I love you. Don't forget that."

Remembering Neville's letter, I smiled to myself. "I won't."


	6. What are You Waiting For?

Chapter Six: What are You Waiting For?

I normally enjoyed surprises – the fact that Fred cared enough to plan a whole week's worth made me feel loved once more – but with no idea as to what he was preparing, I had no clue how to dress. He'd told me to keep this one casual, so I threw on a pair of jeans and a plain red t-shirt that matched my trainers. I was sick of pink, thanks to the magenta robes I'd worn every day for the past year.

Fred poked his head inside our bedroom door where I had previously been changing. "You ready?" he asked, a wide grin on his face.

"Give me a second..." I inspected my face in the mirror one more time before thrusting my wand into its holster on my belt and then standing up straight. "Ready!"

Once we'd emerged in the presence of George and Katie, Fred wrapped his arm around me and addressed them. "You sure you're good for the next few days on your own? I mean I wouldn't..."

"Blimey Fred, we're not completely useless, you know." George winked at me and continued his conversation. "We'll be alright. I swear it. Have fun! You two need the time."

Fred had finally realized he was blind to the way he'd been treating me and blushed a little. "Yeah, thanks mate." He turned to me. "So, you ready?"

"For what?"

"Shut your eyes."

The sensation of Apparating had gotten to be almost a routine for me now, but it still made me a little sick to my stomach. "Can I open them yet?" A cool breeze indicated we were probably somewhere outside.

"Yeah," Fred chuckled and rubbed the small of my back. "Yeah, go ahead – open them."

My assumption was that I would open my eyes to be greeted with some grand surprise. I don't know what I'd expected, but we ended up in the field out front of a very familiar setting. "This is your house... The Burrow?"

"Good observation," said Fred sarcastically, but in a tone that was funny, not condescending. "But really, what else do you see?"

I scanned the surrounding area. It was almost dark, and I couldn't see anything irregular. "I don't understand."

Fred reached forward and grabbed two broomsticks that had been so nonchalantly leaning against the side of the Burrow that I hadn't even noticed they were there. "We're taking these Comet Two-Sixties for a spin."

"Really?" I said excitedly. "I haven't ridden a broom since I attended St. Mary's School for Witches when I was sixteen!"

Fred smiled at my childlike comment and handed me one of the brooms. "Day one: moonlit broom ride."

"Is it safe?" I asked, looking around the wide open field. "I mean... There isn't anyone around, is there?"

"There isn't anyone around for miles, and if there are, they're wizards. It's safe." As I beamed, Fred nudged my side with his elbow. "So what are you waiting for?"

I wasn't able to wipe the grin from my face as I mounted the broom and kicked off from the ground. Fred followed only moments later hovered about three feet beside me. "Come on, Sara. I know how much you've wanted to fly. Our first night at Hogwarts you told me you were on your school's Quidditch team and couldn't wait to sign up to be on Gryffindor's."

"You really do remember everything I say, huh?" The feeling of having Fred by my side again made something in the pit of my stomach feel fuzzy, but still, I didn't want to forgive him right away. I was still bitter that he'd hurt me so much.

"I do. So go on, no use hanging in this bloody bit of air all night!" Fred winked at me and motioned to the wide open space before us. "Go on!"

Not wanting to sit around much longer, I squeezed the handle of my broom and shot off like a cork from a bottle. I didn't much care about the icy wind that engulfed me, all I knew was I was flying again. This moment could not have come soon enough. Fred laughed at the amount of fun I was having – so much so that he wasn't paying attention to where he was flying. "Fred! LOOK OUT!" But it was too late; he had already crash-landed in a large tree not too far from his house. "Fred!" I shrieked. I flew as fast as my broom would carry me to where he had crashed; he was tangled in an awkward position I barely believed possible. "Fred! Are you okay?"

He pulled his arm back to his side, twisted his leg around and was able to lift himself onto the branch above him. "Yeah, yeah, I'm alright. Where's...?" Both of us looked down to see his Comet Two-Sixty lying on the grass. Unfortunately, it didn't make the fall; his broomstick was in pieces on their lawn. "Sodding tree..." Fred rubbed his forehead roughly and sighed. "Oi Sara, fly over here, would you?"

I slowly sidled over next to his place on the branch and waited. "What are you going to do?"

"Well, let me ride with you?"

"Oh! Yeah sure, hop on."

He swung one of his legs over my broom and was able to get on behind me. "Here," he wrapped his arms around me and took my hands in his. "We can fly together."

My head found a way to look over my shoulder at him and I beamed. "Okay."

The rest of the night was spent taking turns flying my broom and lying on a blanket under the stars, laughing at memories past. I would have done anything to stay there forever, but that, unfortunately, was not an option.

"And then he came to bed and we stayed up all night talking about what had happened this year." I finished the story of what had happened the previous night for Katie as we sat in a small café on the muggle street just outside of Diagon Alley. We'd grown accustomed to the cute, little shop and actually preferred it to most Wizarding cafés.

"That sounds wonderful, Sara!" Katie smirked and took a sip of her coffee. "What do you think Fred's got planned for you tonight?"

"No idea." The smile would not leave my face, no matter how hard I tried. "But I can't wait to find out." Taking a side glance at my watch, I gasped. "Actually, it's dinner time. I should be getting back home now."

Katie swallowed the last gulp from her coffee mug and nodded quickly. "Yeah, George and I are going out for dinner, I promised I'd meet him." She threw down some muggle coins and headed out the door.

Ascending the twisting stairs to our flat above the shop, I couldn't imagine what Fred had planned for tonight. I pulled out my key and opened the door, coming face to face with my next surprise. Fred stood before me wearing black dress pants and a white dress shirt he'd been sure to tuck in. The dining room and kitchen area were coated in dim lighting by many candles floating around the room. He beamed. "Day two: romantic candlelit dinner for two, cooked by yours truly."

His wink, his smile, his dimples – I couldn't stay mad at him. He was trying so hard to show me how terribly sorry he was and I didn't want to keep these angry feeling stowed away any longer.


	7. Call This Place Home

Chapter Seven: Call This Place Home

The moonlit broom ride was magical, and the dinner was divine. As the next day approached, I got even more excited to see what else Fred had in store. Trying to guess what the surprises were made it less fun when they came, so I didn't even try.

"What've you got up your sleeve for today, Weasley?" I smirked, noticing a small bit of parchment on his pillow when I'd awaken; of course, there was no Fred to be seen. I picked up the note and read it aloud to myself. "'Something in this room is a Portkey. Whatever it is will be a clue to today's surprise!' What a trickster... Alright. Let's try this: _Accio Portkey_!" When nothing happened, I figured he'd charmed it so I couldn't cheat. I knew he wouldn't make this too easy.

I took one glance around the room to see if anything was out of place. Regrettably, everything appeared as it did the night prior; so I began my hunt for the Portkey. Knowing Fred, it really could be anything. After having searched on our dresser or anywhere quite uncovered, I'd decided to start digging through drawers.

The first drawer I opened had my bathing suit placed on the top of the pile inside. Seeing as how I hadn't used it in a while, I knew this had to be the Portkey – Fred must have pulled it out from its place underneath all my other clothes and put it where I could find it.

I grasped the two-piece gently between my fingers and felt myself being tugged forward by something in my stomach. The landing was less than perfect, as I had fallen face-first into a patch of grass. It didn't take long for me to realize I was back in the field outside the Burrow. Upon standing up, I closed the few foot's distance and knocked on the door.

"Knocking? Really, Sara?" Fred grinned at me through the screen door. "You'd think you could call this place home."

"Sorry," I smiled bashfully and pulled the door open. "So what's this all about?" I held my bathing suit up and cocked my head to the left.

"Day three: swimming in the lake!" he beamed.

Just then, Mrs. Weasley came bustling into the dining room, where, coincidentally, the front door happened to lead. "Good morning, Sara. I've made you and Fred a nice breakfast if you like."

"Mum," Fred groaned. "It's fine. We've eaten; we're going to spend the day together."

"I'm sorry; it's just been so long since I've had my children here. I'm excited! Oh, which reminds me, your brothers stopped by this morning. I'm sure they're still lounging about."

"Which brothers?" he asked. "I don't know if you've forgotten, but I've got five of them."

I laughed as Mrs. Weasley responded. "I think you know which two I'm talking about."

His eyes widened. "Bill and Charlie? Blimey Mum, why didn't you tell me?"

"I thought you'd enjoy a good bolt from the blue." The smile on her face reached ear to ear. "Have you met them yet, Sara?"

"No, not yet." Fred was tugging me by the arm toward the living room. "But I think I'll find out soon enough."

He led me toward the couch and beamed as he held out his arm to the two redheaded boys who were long in their twenties. One was buff and had a very typically handsome look about him, while the other was lankier and had a dragon fang earring in his right lobe.

"Who's the girl, George?" The buff one asked, making me smile and blush.

Fred gaped at his brothers. "Geez Charlie, you really do need to visit more – I'm Fred."

"Sorry!" he laughed and batted his knee with his fist. "Fred! Good Merlin, it has been too long. I used to be the best at telling you two apart – even when Mum couldn't!"

"I know!"

"You didn't answer his question," the dragon fang brother, that I assumed was Bill, stated. "Who's the girl?"

"The _girl_ is Sara – my girlfriend."

"About bloody time," Bill chuckled. "So Sara, what are you and Fred doing here? Mum says you're working in Diagon Alley now."

I was never very good at meeting new people who were older than me – it was the age factor that was intimidating. So I stumbled, "Yeah, we are. But we took the week off... it's been a long year, we needed a vacation."

"That's what we're doing," said Bill. "I'm usually in Egypt working with Gringotts; and Charlie here works with dragons in Romania."

That's when Charlie spoke up. "Unfortunately my daft brother here is getting hitched, and we're home for the wedding."

"Bloody hell, Bill; you're getting married?" Fred gasped at the initial shock, then his shock turned into laughter and he ran over and clapped him hard on the back. "Congratulations! When? Who's the lucky bird?"

Bill seemed very amused by his reaction. "Not until late August, but it's best with everything going on now that we take as much time off as we can." I nodded in agreement as he continued. "And the 'lucky bird' is Fleur."

The name sounded familiar, but Fred picked it out right off the bat. "Fleur Delacour? From the Triwizard Tournament?"

"Yes, that Fleur."

Fred rolled his eyes. "Good luck with that one, mate. Anyway, Sara and I are heading out." He was already pulling me away from his brothers.

"Clearly," Charlie's line of vision was pointed directly at the two-piece bathing suit that I'd forgotten was scrunched in my hands. To the uninformed individual, it could have looked like my underwear. "Have fun with that."

"Oh, no!" I gasped, shoving it in my robe pockets. "It's a bathing..."

"Forget it Sara, come on. I'll catch up with them later."

Fred let me change in Ginny's room, which was just as clean and tidy as I'd remembered from the year before I started at Hogwarts. Once I emerged covering my bikini with a long towel, I asked him, "Where's the lake?"

He stood before me wearing only his swim trunks. I'd seen him in his boxer shorts before, but somehow this made me happier. Every time he was this revealed was before he was going to bed – but by that point I was half asleep, just wondering if I'd be seeing him that night. Yes, this was definitely better. "It's a way's walk, but don't worry. You'll be in dire need of cooling off by the time we get there."

He was right. By the time we'd walked across the field and through a small forest, the lake sparkled innocently before us – taunting us. "Come on, Sara." Fred teased. "You can't go in like that." I dropped the towel and smiled. "Blimey. I've never, I mean, I've seen you in your underwear before, but... Why does this seem so much sexier?"

I laughed and jumped in the water. "Because your attention is focused on me this time, and not the sodding shop." Splashing him gently and sticking out my tongue made him make a face preceding jump in after me.

"I am so going to get you, Hughes!"

"Not if I get you first, Weasley!" I hopped on his back and wrapped my arms around his neck. "Hi-ya!"

"Hey!" We both laughed as he tried to push me off. Seeing as how that was failing, he held his breath and sunk to the bottom of the lake, bringing an unaware me down with him.

When we came back up to the surface, I gasped for air. "Fred Weasley!"

Fred burst into laughter and hugged me tightly to his back. "Come on, I'll carry you." He piggybacked me around the shallow end of the lake and I couldn't hold back a grin. The feel of my skin against his made my head spin – and this was only day three.

That night, we watched the sunset from his porch. "Beautiful, isn't it?" I said, not taking my eyes off the simplest natural phenomenon. The previously light blue sky had turned deep pink and orange; the colours reflected off the fairly vast lake before us.

"You look amazing in this light." Fred tilted his head and grabbed my camera from his pocket.

"Hey, what are you doing with that?" I protested through a laugh, but it was no use. Fred had already snapped a photo.

"Perfect." I smiled and leaned my head on his shoulder, and he reached out and took a photo of us both. "Got you again!"

I couldn't hold back a giggle. "Fred, stop for a minute! I just want to remember this moment, right now."

"Okay, love." He gave me a tight side hug, sending his sweet cologne wafting up my nose. "Oh, get your tap shoes ready for tomorrow, because day four is dancing."

I stood on my tiptoes and gave him a gentle kiss on the lips. "Thank you so much for this."

"Well, I love you, Sara. I'd do anything to see you happy."

"I love you too, Fred."


	8. To Be With You

**Author's Note:** This chapter is rated T for suggested smuttiness. Hope you enjoy!

Chapter Eight: To Be With You

Day four was an amorous blur. Fred had taken me to a sophisticated wizards club in Hogsmeade and we ended up dancing until morning. He suggested we go back to Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes on the afternoon of day five and I reluctantly agreed – I _was_ getting quite tired due to all of this excitement.

"Hey you two, how's the week of romance going?" George beamed at us from behind the counter in his bright magenta robes.

Fred nodded at him and made sure we kept moving passed the happy customers, up the spiral staircase and into our flat. "I figured by today you'd be kind of wiped out, so day five is..."

But I'd already found his gift on the dining room table. "Roses!"

"And the chocolates." He laughed. "No Puking Pasties, I swear."

I embraced him and he kissed me on the forehead. "Really, thank you for all of this. It's really..."

"Sara," he stopped me dead in my tracks. "I feel horrible for what I did to you. I'm glad we're still together – and to prove my love for you, I've created a week's worth of cheesy, romantic goodness for us both. So stop talking and enjoy it!" His serious tone rapidly grew humorous as he grinned at me and squeezed my hand. "Go on, have a chocolate. I know you want to."

After Fred told me to stop feeling so guilty about the surprises, I really did begin to enjoy them even more; and I'm glad he explained that to me, because I could never have been ready for day six's surprise in a million years.

I went to the loo so I could change into my pyjamas, which in summer time consisted of a light t-shirt and jogging shorts. When I opened the door to head back to our bedroom, I saw Fred sitting on the bed cross-legged. He was holding an acoustic guitar. I also noticed he'd made the bed for the occasion.

"Fred, where on earth did you get that?"

"Day six: I wrote you a song." He strummed a very off-sounding note and smiled at the attempt. "Bill leant it to me – what do you think?"

"I think that's awfully sweet of you, but do you know how to play?"

"Not really," he admitted, making us both chuckle a little. "Come sit next to me; are you scared you'll go deaf or something?"

I didn't believe it, but I just had to say it. "A little."

"Oh hush, come here."

I sat down on the bed next to him and he began to strum an off-key chord.

_Sara, when I met you,_

_I knew you were the one._

_You weren't like all the other girls_

_You liked to have some fun._

_We danced at the Yule Ball_

_And you gave me your heart,_

_Little did I know_

_I'd later tear it apart._

_You make me smile_

_When I'd rather not_

_You make me want to give life_

_Everything I've got_

_You are so beautiful_

_I could sing_

_You make me fall in love_

_With every little thing._

Merlin love him, he was trying. The notes were so off-key, I could cry, and the cheesy lyrics made me blush, but he did it for me, and that's what mattered – well, I was successfully able to convince myself.

_Your smile, your laugh,_

_Everything you do_

_I'm the luckiest wizard_

_To be with you._

When he strummed his final chord, I chuckled a little but a huge grin spread across my face. "Fred, that was so sweet of you. Does your song have a name?"

"It's called 'Sara's Song'," he beamed as though it was the most creative title on the planet. "Did you like it?"

I smiled and was honestly able to say, "I loved it."

We lay back together; his arm was around my shoulder and I snuggled into the crease between his body and the arm in which he had draped over me. "I really hope you forgive me, Sara. I didn't mean to do any of that..."

"I know Fred. I forgive you." In order not to get his hopes too high, I added, "It hurt a lot, but I forgive you."

Day seven was upon Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, and I was not the only one anticipating what Fred may have been planning. "Last day Sara," George winked at me as I watched him stock the shelves with more Skiving Snackboxes. "What do you think Fred's got in store for you today?"

"I've no idea." I beamed. "I don't want to think about it. I trust him."

Laughing, George responded. "You shouldn't, mate."

"Why not?" I laughed along. "He's done me good so far!"

"Yeah, he's probably running out of ideas by now. What'd he do for you yesterday?"

I hesitated. Merlin, could he be right? "He... wrote me a song."

That sent George howling. "He wrote you a _song_? Blimey, why wasn't I there? That must've been a sight!"

"I thought it was sweet!" I argued unconfidently. "I don't see you trying to do something romantic like that for Katie!"

Despite the fact I didn't try very hard to defend my case, he had nothing to say to that but, "Bugger off."

It was already nine o'clock and day seven's surprise had not yet been revealed to me. Fred was able to keep up a charade all day as though nothing was going on. Had he forgotten there was still one more day; had he not planned the last day's surprise yet, or was he just really good at hiding it from me? I didn't want to ask, but my curiosity got the best of me.

We were sitting alone in the living room when I brought it up. "Fred, today's almost over; what...?"

He looked side to side before glancing at his watch. "I think it's about time." Fred took my hand gently in his and led me to the bedroom. Upon opening the door, I knew exactly what the last surprise was going to be. Small, lit candles sparkled around the room and the bed was littered with rose petals. I immediately wished I was wearing something a little sexier than my cotton t-shirt and shorts. "We never have the time or the place... George and Katie are always around... I hope you don't take this the wrong way, Sara... We've been together two years... You know I respect you..."

Just to make him stop blabbering on and on, I put my hands on either side of his face and crashed my lips roughly to his. "I'm not taking it the wrong way." He smiled warmly, but I continued. "I love you and trust you, and this is the most romantic sight I've ever seen."

Fred beamed and looked into my eyes. "I love you Sara. I always have."

"I love you too, Fred." He cupped my chin and kissed me passionately.

Mine was the tongue to run along his upper lip, begging for an entrance he so willingly permitted. Fred's hands started on my cheeks, then ran down my side and ended up resting on my waist as his lips never left mine.

He removed his shirt, revealing his fairly toned, but not muscular body, giving me the idea I should do the same. "No, no." Fred said slyly. "Allow me."

I giggled and let my arms fall back to my sides as he reached for the bottom of my t-shirt and lifted it above my head. Once my stomach was bare, he'd begun to kiss the spot around my bellybutton. The sensation gave me goosebumps, which Fred took notice of and grinned. "See, I'm completely starkers from the waist up; I think it's only appropriate you do the same."

"That sounds reasonable." I agreed coyly, allowing him to unhook my bra and lay it down on top of the pile of clothing next to the bed.

He lay me down on the bed gently and knelt on top of me, closing the distance between our faces, making very certain his lips didn't come off me for too long. "You haven't... done this before, have you?" Fred asked between kisses to my neckline.

"No, I haven't. Have you?"

"No."

I executed an inward sigh of relief. "I love you, Fred." A hard kiss on his mouth prevented him from replying.

I didn't know exactly what to expect. All I knew was that Fred and I were perfect together, and the fact that I was his first was definitely the best gift he could have ever given.


	9. Only Wizard YouKnowWho Was Scared Of

Chapter Nine: The Only Wizard You-Know-Who Was Scared Of

"Anyone get the post this morning?" George hollered from the bathroom.

Seeing as how Fred and I were still in bed, and hadn't bothered getting dressed from the previous night yet, we had not left the room and obviously hadn't gotten the post. "No, not yet!" I shouted back from our room. "Katie?"

George shouted back at us, "Katie's not here!"

I sighed. "Fine, I'll see." I kissed Fred's forehead and slowly sidled out of the blankets as to not wake him. Throwing on a bathrobe, I went out to the kitchen to check if anyone had written. Sure enough, the Weasleys' bird, Errol, was perched on one of the chair's backs and an envelope lay inadvertently in the middle of the table. "What's this all about...?" I picked up the envelope to see it was addressed to all four of us – being one of the four of us, I didn't see anything wrong in opening it and later informing everyone what it was concerning.

_Fred, George, Sara and Katie,_

_I'm not sure how to put this delicately, but Professor Dumbledore passed away last night. A funeral will be held for him later this week. If you come to the Burrow, we can all go together._

_Details will be given in person – I'm not sure a letter is the best way to honour such a wizard._

_Hope to see you tonight._

_Love always,_

_Mrs. Weasley_

_PS. Closing down the shop for a few days won't be a problem. Everyone will understand._

"Bloody hell..." I placed the letter back on the table and backed away slowly. Dumbledore couldn't be... It was impossible. "Fred!" I bellowed. "Fred, George!" I ran into our bedroom and shook Fred awake.

"What is it?" George asked, barging into the bedroom. "Is everything okay?" One look at me in my robe and Fred's half-naked body poking out from under the covers made his eyebrows shoot right up. "What did you two do last night?" He added a wink after his question.

"George, now is _not_ the time." I was becoming frustrated. I didn't know how to react to the news I'd just received, but I'm sure they would.

Fred furrowed his brow. "What's wrong?"

"We've just been given a letter from your mother... Professor Dumbledore died last night."

Simultaneously, the twins' jaws dropped and their eyes went wide. "Are you sure?"

"I'm pretty bloody certain."

George left the room, so he could collect the letter from the table, I imagined. "Shite..." Fred's eyes fell to his lap and he reached over to grab his shirt from the floor. "I can't believe this..."

"What d'you reckon's going to happen now?" I asked, growing nervous.

Fred shook his head unknowingly. "Dunno. Dumbledore was the only wizard You-Know-Who was ever afraid of. Now that he's gone, I've got no idea..."

"Blimey, she's right!" George burst into the room holding the letter above his head. "Listen to this, Fred: '_Professor Dumbledore passed away last night. A funeral will be held for him later this week. If you come to the Burrow, we can all go together..._' Merlin... This is mad..."

Upon arriving at the Burrow, the mood could not have been any more sombre. Any smiles that made an appearance were evidently forced ones. Fred and George hugged their mother sincerely as tears fell from her eyes upon our entrance. Katie and I got caught in a family embrace, as well.

"What happened, Mum?" asked George. "The letter said you'd tell us when we got here."

She put a handkerchief up to her nose and nodded. "I did; come in, sit down." Fred and I took one sofa, while Katie and George shared the sofa with Mrs. Weasley. "Alright," she took a deep breath and began. "Harry informed us of what had happened last night. Apparently Draco Malfoy..."

"I always knew that kid was scum..." Katie muttered under her breath.

"...had been repairing the vanishing cabinet in the Room of Requirement and used it to sneak Death Eaters into the castle from a furniture store in Knockturn Alley. They were encouraging Draco to kill Dumbledore but he couldn't do it. In the end it was Severus Snape who... did the deed."

My stomach churned. "Professor Snape? But I didn't think he..."

"I always knew that man was a bloody git," grumbled George. Fred was still speechless.

I couldn't believe it. Why would Snape kill Dumbledore?

The funeral, however beautiful the service may have been, was the most depressing thing I'd ever experienced. Dumbledore had influenced so many witches and wizards to the point they weren't sure how they could carry on without him. Harry and Ginny were sitting in front of Fred and me holding hands, and from the looks on their faces, I assumed they were going through a very rough time.

I overheard Harry tell Ginny that they could no longer see each other while he had to endure the adventure he was about to undergo. When had they even gotten together? I would have been aggravated that no one told me anything, but there were more serious matters at hand.

I couldn't even get excited knowing I was surrounded by friends again. "How're you holding up?" Neville inquired, giving me a very tight hug.

"I'm alright." I shrugged him off and shook my head. "It's just hard to believe one of the most powerful wizards is gone, you know?"

"Uh, Sara?" Fred tapped me on the shoulder and then looked at Neville. "Sorry, mind if I steal her for a moment?"

Neville smiled meekly at the fact that Fred was spending time with me again and nodded. "Yeah, definitely."

Once we were alone, I turned to him. "What?"

"I heard what you were saying to Neville and well... it's a bit more serious than that."

"What do you mean?"

He cleared his throat. "Err, well he was the only wizard You-Know-Who was scared of... and now he's gone." I waited for more explanation, though I had an idea of what he was trying to get at. "Sara, there's going to be a war."

My heartbeat picked up its pace. "I was afraid you'd say that."

"Sara, there's no way to tell when You-Know-Who's army is going to strike – and no matter what we go through, I want you by my side the whole time. I don't want to lose you."

"Me neither, Fred." My eyes had begun to water purely out of fear. I never thought I would be living in the time of war.

He took my left hand delicately in both of his own; his grip gradually tightened. "Marry me."

"What?" The pounding in my chest had just doubled in speed. I thought I might pass out – everything went black.

Fred picked my chin up and stared critically into my eyes. "Marry me."

I did not look away; I did not even blink as I made my reply. "Okay."

**Author's Note:** I really hope you enjoyed this instalment of my Harry Potter Epic! Go read the sequel to this part – "It's Not Over Before it's Too Late"!

Also, don't be afraid to drop a line. I really appreciate reviews, or any kind of feedback!


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